Warm Audio WA-251 Large Diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone

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Warm Audio WA-251 Large Diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone

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Description & Specs

The WA-251 was created to offer a classic microphone design to a new generation of recording artists at an affordable price. We spent a great deal of time listening to different ‘251 microphones to determine what people liked about them and why, how various styles of components impact the tone, and how to give the WA-251 microphone a signature that pays homage to the vintage classic, but also stands out on its own.

The WA-251 is an all vacuum tube, large diaphragm, transformer balanced, multi-pattern, large condenser microphone, based on the classic ‘251 that has been used on countless hit records for the last 50+ years.  The WA-251 is designed for pro studio, home studio, live, and broadcast applications and sounds great on vocals, acoustic/electric guitars, acoustic/electric bass, drums, piano, strings, brass/woodwind instruments, and an array of other sources. 

The classic ‘251 became extremely popular as a vocal microphone in the 1960’s and is now considered to be one of the greatest condenser microphones ever created.  The classic ‘251 is still widely used today in professional recording studios but has become extremely rare and cost prohibitive to acquire.
 
Designing our WA-251 to sound like the classic ‘251 was no easy task, especially since some of the vintage components are no longer manufactured or available.  We are pleased to release such a gorgeous sounding classic to the market at a price that’s reachable to more people than ever before.

A Slovak Republic JJ 12AY7 vacuum tube is used in the WA-251.  We auditioned 3 tube brands and fell in love with the JJ 12AY7.  The frequency response of the JJ tube, and the way it contributes to the circuit is tonally smooth and vintage in nature.

The WA-12-B-60V is an all-brass, edge-terminated capsule that captures all the smoothness, rich top end, and warm vintage sonics of the original CK12 capsule. The WA-12-B-60V uses a variant CEK-12 back plate as a basis, which overcomes manufacturing limitations of the original CK12 capsule. The o-ring and housing of the WA-12-B-60V are all made from brass (no teflon parts), and the diaphragm is 24k gold sputtered 6 micron, NOS PET film (mylar). The end result is a very consistent, reliable capsule which matches the frequency response and tonality of the classic 1970's classic capsule.  

The WA-251 utilizes an American made CineMag USA transformer.  This transformer helps provide the present top end and the LARGE bottom end one would hope to get from a 251-style condenser microphone.

The WA-251 proudly uses polystyrene coupling capacitors, wima film capacitors throughout, and an imported Solen French capacitor on its output.

One component of a tube microphone that is often overlooked is the 7 pin cable that connects the microphone to its power supply.  When auditioning the WA-251 and other tube microphones we learned quite a bit about 7 pin cables and how the shielding and wire gauge size can drastically change the sonics of a tube microphone.  We have partnered with Gotham Audio in Switzerland to use their very carefully built high-end 7 pin “GAC-7 cable”.  Using this cable increases top end presence and the overall size of the recorded image in the stereo field by reducing phase shift and the parasitic effect often experienced in poorly built cables.  Gotham Cabling is very expensive and boutique in nature and shouldn’t be considered a small addition to the WA-251 package.

  • CUSTOM WA-12-B-60V EDGE TERMINATED, DUAL-BACKPLATE,    
  • ALL-BRASS VINTAGE CK12-STYLE CAPSULE
  • CINEMAG USA OUTPUT TRANSFORMER
  • JJ SLOVAK 12AY7 VACUUM TUBE
  • GOTHAM 5 METER GAC-7, 7-PIN TUBE MICROPHONE CABLE
  • WIMA, SOLEN FRENCH, AND POLYSTYRENE CAPACITORS
  • POLAR PATTERNS: 3 PATTERNS - CARDIOID, OMNI, FIGURE-OF-EIGHT
  • FREQUENCY RANGE: 20 HZ~20 KHZ
  • OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 200 OHMS
  • MAXIMUM SPL: 132DB  (<0.5% THD)
  • RATED LOAD IMPEDANCE: ≥2KOHMS
  • S/N RATIO: 80DBA
  • EQUIVALENT NOISE: 12DBA (IEC651)
  • EXTERNAL IEC GROUNDED PSU
  • TOTAL WEIGHT (MIC, PSU, SHOCKMOUNT, CABLES) - 12 LBS
  • MIC DIMENSIONS: 247MM X 46MM
  • DYNAMIC RANGE: 125DBA
  • INCLUDES: MICROPHONE, WOOD BOX, PSU, SHOCK-MOUNT AND GOTHAM CABLE.

You read that right! Any orders over $75 ship for free!*

The CME Difference:  CME's mission is to make sure your shipment will arrive quickly, carefully, and correctly. We realize that the online ordering of guitars and instruments, in general, can be a nerve-racking experience. We are here to put your mind at ease and make your transaction smooth and enjoyable! As musicians ourselves, we want to make sure everything gets to you the way it should, every time.

Most orders ship the same or next day:  
We greatly appreciate your patience, and are working hard to fulfill all requests as quickly as possible, while practicing recommended safety guidelines.

Our Bottom line: We care! This is something we take very seriously, because it's what you deserve. Our shipping, sales, and customer service teams are always striving to create the best experience for you. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, we want to know.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to support@chicagomusicexchange.com, or call us directly at 773-525-7773.

*Special exceptions do apply.

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LOCATION 

3316 N Lincoln Avenue Chicago, IL 60657


We're right off the CTA Brown Line 'Paulina' Stop Just North of Belmont and just West of Ashland.

We’re all musicians here at Chicago Music Exchange and we want you to love the gear you get from us. We understand that sometimes you get a piece of gear that doesn’t work out for you. That’s why we offer an easy return policy to take the stress out of purchasing from us.

If you decide you'd like to return an item, please contact your Sales Rep, chat us, or give us a call.

If you placed your order on Amazon or eBay, we advise issuing the return request from your account on the platform of purchase - our Customer Service team will process a refund upon receipt of the item(s).

Most new items may be returned within 30 days of delivery and most vintage & used items may be returned within 3 days of delivery for a full refund, exchange, or store credit. Please pack the product safely for the journey back to us. If the product was shipped for free, the charge will be deducted from refund, unless the reason for the return is outside normal circumstances.

Please contact us as soon as possible if your order was received incorrectly, damaged, or defective. Most times we will give you an RA number (Return Authorization). Why is that number important? This will allow us to speed up the process of the return.

We reserve the right to charge a restocking fee based on the return condition. Some items we just can’t take back for returns, due to a one time function like strings or drums heads and other times it’s not sanitary to do so with microphones or harmonicas. If you aren’t sure if what you bought falls into a category like this, call us (773) 525-7773!

We strive to get your return processed quickly. Most of the time we have it done within two business days. Funds going back to credit cards usually takes two to four business days. CME strives to make sure all customers are happy with their experience. It is our priority to provide great service along with great gear. We always want to be helpful, and open to your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts! If you have any questions, we’re here for you!

Feel free to email us at customerservice@chicagomusicexchange.com or give us a call at (773) 525-7773.